JP2695330B2 - Sheet ejection device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention is provided in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and a laser beam printer.
The present invention relates to a sheet discharge device that pushes out a sheet conveyed from these devices onto a discharge tray and discharges the sheet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recent copiers are used in combination with an automatic document feeder and a post-processing apparatus for automating copying operations and post-processing operations such as stapling or punching of sheets after copying. It has become so. The automatic document feeder is provided on a document table of a copying machine, and for example, sequentially transports a plurality of documents to a document table of the copying machine. Also, the post-processing device is
A process such as stapling or punching is performed on each sheet of a predetermined number of sheets on a sheet on which a document image is copied and discharged from a copying machine.

In the above-mentioned conventional post-processing apparatus, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-144370, when performing a stapling process, for example, sheets discharged from a copying machine are stacked on a processing tray. After being stapled by the stapler, a bundle of sheets, that is, a sheet bundle, is discharged onto a discharge tray by discharge rollers provided above and below.

[0004]

However, not only in the above-mentioned post-processing apparatus, but in an apparatus for discharging a sheet bundle from a processing tray only by upper and lower rollers, a large number of sheets formed into a bundle from one sheet When the sheet is discharged onto the discharge tray, it is difficult to appropriately set the pressing force on the sheet from the upper and lower rollers in accordance with the amount of each sheet, and the sheet cannot be discharged properly depending on the amount of sheets. In addition, when a sheet bundle that is not integrated by the stapling process is discharged onto a discharge tray, there is a problem that the sheets are likely to be shifted from each other.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a sheet discharging device according to the invention of claim 1 receives a sheet carried in from a main body device, and discharges the sheet receiving base. And a discharge tray for receiving the sheet, the discharge tray being driven in the vertical direction by the discharge tray elevating means, in the direction of abutting the sheet on the sheet receiving table and pushing the sheet to the discharge tray. , And a sheet pushing-out member capable of advancing and retracting in the opposite direction, a sheet pushing-out member driving means for driving the sheet pushing-out member, an upper surface of the discharge tray or an upper surface of the uppermost sheet placed on the upper surface of the discharge tray, Tray upper limit detecting means for detecting a state where the upper limit position of the discharge tray is reached, which is a state of reaching a position near a virtual plane including the upper surface of the sheet receiving table; Sheet by the sheet extrusion member
Extrusion that is the state immediately before the completion of the extrusion operation for
Detects the state immediately before the completion of extrusion of the extrusion member
When the reaching state of the upper limit position of the discharge tray is detected by the previous state detecting means and the tray upper limit detecting means, the pushing operation of the sheet pushing member to the sheet is started, and the pushing state is completed by the state detecting means immediately before the pushing is completed.
It is characterized in that it is provided with control means for controlling the sheet pushing-out member driving means and the discharge tray elevating means so that the discharge tray is lowered when the state just before the completion is detected .

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the sheet discharging device of the invention of claim 2 is a sheet receiving tray for receiving the sheet carried in from the main body device, and a discharging tray for receiving the sheet discharged from this sheet receiving tray. In the sheet discharge device for discharging a sheet onto the discharge tray, the lowermost surface of the discharge tray is below the sheet discharge port from the sheet receiving tray onto the discharge tray. Sheet pushing-out means for pushing the sheet on the receiving table toward the discharge tray, an advancing position for covering the stepped portion between the sheet ejecting port and the ejecting tray, and a lower ejection assisting member capable of advancing and retreating to a retreat position for withdrawing from the advancing position. The lower discharge assisting member driving means for driving the lower discharge assisting member and the sheet pushing means pushes the sheet on the sheet receiving tray onto the discharge tray. Before being is characterized in that it comprises a control means for controlling the lower discharge member drive means so that the lower discharge auxiliary member moves to the advanced position.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the sheet discharging apparatus according to the third aspect of the invention has a sheet receiving tray for receiving the sheet carried in from the main body apparatus, and a discharging tray for receiving the sheet discharged from the sheet receiving tray. In the sheet discharging device having a sheet aligning member at both side portions in the sheet width direction orthogonal to the pushing direction by the sheet pushing means, the sheet aligning member causes the sheet on the sheet receiving base to become the reference position in the sheet width direction. An aligning unit that aligns the sheet and a sheet pushing-out unit that pushes out the sheet aligned by the aligning unit in the direction of the discharge tray are provided, and the sheet is pushed by the sheet pushing-out unit along at least one aligning member of the sheet aligning unit. The alignment member on one side projects in the width direction of the sheet into the space above the sheet. It is characterized in that the sheet guide portion is formed on regulating the curvature of the sheet upward due to the push-out operation of the sheet extrusion means.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a sheet discharging device of a fourth aspect of the present invention is a sheet receiving tray for receiving a sheet carried in from a main body device, and a discharging tray for receiving a sheet discharged from this sheet receiving tray. In the sheet discharging device having a sheet pushing device for pushing the sheet on the sheet receiving tray toward the discharging tray, and an advancing position on the sheet receiving tray for restricting upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing means, Also, the upper ejection auxiliary member that can be moved back and forth to the retreat position that retreats from the advanced position, the upper ejection auxiliary member driving means that drives the upper ejection auxiliary member, and the upper ejection auxiliary member that moves to the advanced position can be used to operate the sheet pushing means. Control means for controlling the upper discharge member driving means so that upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation is restricted. It is characterized.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a sheet discharging device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is provided with a sheet conveying path for carrying in a sheet from the main body device, and a sheet conveying path provided below the sheet conveying path. In a sheet discharging device having a sheet receiving tray for receiving sheets sent from the sheet receiving tray and a discharge tray for receiving sheets discharged from the sheet receiving tray, sheet pushing means for pushing the sheet on the sheet receiving tray toward the discharge tray, Accompanied by the sheet guide outlet provided in the above-described sheet conveying path between the sheet outlet and the sheet cradle, which guides the sheet delivered from the sheet conveying path toward the sheet cradle, and the pushing operation of the sheet pushing means. A sheet guide member that is movable to a sheet guide position on a sheet pedestal that restricts upward bending of the sheet, and this sheet The sheet guide member driving unit drives the sheet guide member driving unit and the sheet guide member moving to the sheet upper guide position so that the upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing unit is restricted. And a control means for controlling the.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the sheet discharging device of the invention of claim 6 is a sheet receiving tray for receiving the sheet carried in from the main body device, and a discharging tray for receiving the sheet discharged from this sheet receiving tray. And a sheet pushing-out means for pushing the sheet on the sheet receiving tray toward the discharge tray, and a sheet provided on the sheet receiving tray in the direction of the discharge tray and discharging the sheet to the discharge tray in the discharge tray direction. A sheet discharge guide member that guides the sheet to a sheet discharge guide member, and a sheet discharge guide member that is movable to a sheet upper guide position on a sheet receiving stand that regulates the upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing unit, and the sheet discharge guide member. Sheet discharge guide member driving means for driving the sheet, and a sheet discharge guide for moving to the sheet upper guide position The wood, like a sheet curvature upward due to the push-out operation of the sheet pushing means is restricted, it is characterized in that it comprises a control means for controlling the sheet discharge guide member drive means.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the sheet discharging device of the invention of claim 7 is a sheet receiving tray for receiving the sheet carried in from the main body device, and a discharging tray for receiving the sheet discharged from this sheet receiving tray. And a sheet discharge guide member that is provided above the discharge tray direction portion of the sheet receiving tray and that guides the sheet discharged to the discharge tray in the discharge tray direction. A sheet pushing-out unit that pushes out in the tray direction and a sheet upper guide position that is provided on the above-described sheet discharge guide member and that restricts upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing unit, and a retreat that retreats from the sheet upper guide position. Upper discharge auxiliary guide member movable to the position, and the upper discharge auxiliary gas driving this upper discharge auxiliary guide member. The upper discharge auxiliary guide member driving unit is controlled so that the upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing unit is restricted by the drive member driving unit and the upper discharge auxiliary guide member that moves to the sheet upper guide position. It is characterized in that it is provided with a control means.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the sheet discharging device of the invention of claim 8 is a sheet receiving tray for receiving the sheet carried in from the main body device, and a discharging tray for receiving the sheet discharged from this sheet receiving tray. And a sheet pushing-out means for pushing the sheet on the sheet receiving tray toward the discharging tray, and an end portion on the discharging direction side which is provided above the portion of the sheet receiving tray in the discharging tray direction. To the sheet discharge guide position, which guides the sheet discharged to the discharge tray toward the discharge tray, and the end on the discharge direction side moves upward from the closed position to the discharge tray. The guide member and the sheet discharge guide member are moved to the above-mentioned sheet discharge guide position, and at the same time, the sheet discharge guide member and the sheet The sheet discharge guide member driving means for moving the sheet discharge guide member to the closed position in a state where the sheet can be pushed out from the receiving table and the sheet pushing operation onto the discharge tray by the sheet pushing means. And a control means for controlling the sheet discharge guide member driving means so that the sheet discharge guide member moves to the closed position when the sheet discharge guide member is opened.

[0013]

According to the structure of the first aspect, since the sheet on the sheet receiving tray is pushed out onto the discharge tray by the pushing member, the sheet can be discharged onto the discharge tray regardless of the amount of sheets. Even when a sheet bundle that is not integrated is discharged, it is difficult for the sheets to shift from each other.

Further, the control means starts the pushing operation of the sheet pushing member toward the sheet when the tray upper limit detecting means detects the state where the discharge tray reaches the upper limit position, and pushes out by the state detecting means immediately before the completion of pushing.
Then, when the state immediately before completion is detected, that is, after the front end of the sheet to be pushed out reaches the upper surface of the discharge tray or the uppermost sheet placed on the discharge tray, the discharge tray descends, The sheet pushing member driving means and the discharge tray elevating means are controlled.

Therefore, at least the front end portion of the sheet pushed onto the discharge tray is properly supported on the upper surface of the discharge tray or the uppermost sheet on the discharge tray, so that the front end portion of the sheet is early in the pushing operation. It is possible to prevent the sheet from curving downward and curving the sheet. This allows
The sheet can be smoothly pushed out to the discharge tray.

According to the configuration of claim 2, as in the configuration of claim 1, since the sheet on the sheet receiving table is pushed out onto the discharge tray by the pushing member, the sheet can be discharged regardless of the sheet amount. Even when a sheet bundle that is present and is not integrated is discharged, it is difficult for the sheets to shift from each other.

Further, for example, in the case where the sheet discharge port from the sheet receiving tray onto the discharge tray is provided with a discharge roller for assisting the discharge of the sheet to the discharge tray,
The sheet is discharged onto the discharge tray in a state where the lowermost surface of the discharge tray is below the sheet discharge port in order to avoid the interference between the discharge roller and the discharge tray. At this time, the control means, before the sheet on the sheet receiving tray is pushed out onto the discharge tray by the sheet pushing means,
The lower discharge member driving means is controlled so that the lower discharge auxiliary member moves to the advanced position. Therefore, when the sheet is pushed onto the discharge tray, the step portion between the sheet discharge port and the discharge tray is covered by the lower discharge auxiliary member, and the pushed sheet enters the step portion and bends downward. Avoided. Thus, it is possible to smoothly push the sheet to the discharge tray.

According to the structure of claim 3, as in the structure of claim 1, since the sheet on the sheet receiving table is pushed out onto the discharge tray by the pushing member, the sheet can be discharged regardless of the sheet amount. Even when a sheet bundle that is present and is not integrated is discharged, it is difficult for the sheets to shift from each other.

Further, at the time of the sheet pushing-out operation by the sheet pushing-out means, at least one of the aligning members along which the side portion of the sheet extends is projected in the width direction of the sheet into the space above the sheet, and is accompanied by the pushing-out operation of the sheet pushing-out means. Since the upper sheet guide portion that regulates the upward bending of the sheet is formed, the upward bending of the sheet when being pushed out by the sheet pushing-out means is regulated, and the sheet can be smoothly pushed out to the discharge tray. You can

According to the structure of claim 4, as in the structure of claim 1, since the sheet on the sheet receiving table is pushed out onto the discharge tray by the pushing member, the sheet can be discharged regardless of the sheet amount. Even when a sheet bundle that is present and is not integrated is discharged, it is difficult for the sheets to shift from each other.

When the sheet on the sheet pedestal is pushed out onto the discharge tray by the pushing means, the control means is moved upward by the pushing operation of the sheet pushing means by the upper discharge auxiliary member moving to the advanced position. Since the upper discharge member driving unit is controlled so that the bending of the sheet is regulated, the sheet can be smoothly pushed out to the discharge tray.

According to the structure of claim 5, as in the structure of claim 1, since the sheet on the sheet receiving table is pushed out onto the discharge tray by the pushing member, the sheet can be discharged regardless of the sheet amount. Even when a sheet bundle that is present and is not integrated is discharged, it is difficult for the sheets to shift from each other.

When the sheet on the sheet pedestal is pushed out onto the discharge tray by the pushing means, the control means uses the sheet guide member that moves to the sheet upper guide position.
Since the sheet guide member driving unit is controlled so that the upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing unit is regulated, the sheet can be smoothly pushed to the discharge tray.

According to the configuration of claim 6, as in the configuration of claim 1, since the sheet on the sheet receiving table is pushed out onto the discharge tray by the pushing member, the sheet can be discharged regardless of the sheet amount. Even when a sheet bundle that is present and is not integrated is discharged, it is difficult for the sheets to shift from each other.

Further, when the sheet on the sheet receiving tray is pushed out onto the discharge tray by the push-out means, the control means moves upward by the push-out operation of the sheet push-out means by the sheet discharge guide member which moves to the sheet upper guide position. Since the sheet discharge guide member driving means is controlled so that the curving of the sheet to the discharge tray is restricted, the sheet can be smoothly pushed out to the discharge tray.

According to the configuration of claim 7, as in the configuration of claim 1, since the sheet on the sheet receiving table is pushed out onto the discharge tray by the pushing member, the sheet can be discharged regardless of the sheet amount. Even when a sheet bundle that is present and is not integrated is discharged, it is difficult for the sheets to shift from each other.

Further, when the sheet on the sheet pedestal is pushed out onto the discharge tray by the pushing means, the control means is accompanied by the pushing operation of the sheet pushing means by the upper discharge auxiliary guide member which moves to the sheet upper guide position. Since the upper discharge auxiliary guide member driving means is controlled so that the upward curving of the sheet is restricted, the sheet can be smoothly pushed out to the discharge tray.

According to the structure of claim 8, as in the structure of claim 1, since the sheet on the sheet receiving table is pushed out onto the discharge tray by the pushing member, the sheet can be discharged regardless of the sheet amount. Even when a sheet bundle that is present and is not integrated is discharged, it is difficult for the sheets to shift from each other.

When the sheet on the sheet receiving tray is pushed out onto the discharge tray by the pushing means, the control means controls the sheet discharge guide member driving means so that the sheet discharge guide member moves to the closed position. When the sheet is pushed onto the discharge tray, the sheet discharge guide member prevents the operator's hand or the like from being inserted into the position where the sheet pushing-out means operates. Thus, when the operator's hand or the like is carelessly inserted from the sheet discharge port, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the sheet pushing-out means collides with this.

[0030]

【Example】

[Embodiment 1] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. This embodiment shows a case where a sheet post-processing apparatus as a sheet discharging apparatus is applied to a copying machine.

As shown in FIG. 3, the sheet post-processing device 40.
Are provided in the copying machine main body 1 as a main body device.
An RDH (Recirculating Doc), which is a type of an automatic document feeder for transporting the document M onto the platen glass 3 of the copying machine body 1, is provided on the copying machine body 1.
A document handler 31 is provided.

In the main body 1 of the copying machine, the above-mentioned original table glass 3 is arranged at the upper end thereof, and below the original table glass 3, an optical system including a light source lamp 4, mirrors 5, 6 and 7, and a lens 8 is provided. A system 9 and a photosensitive drum 10 are arranged. The optical system 9 optically scans the original M conveyed onto the original platen glass 3 by the RDH 31 with the light emitted from the light source lamp 4, and reflects the reflected light to each of the mirrors 5, 6, 7.
By irradiating the exposure point A on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10 via the lens 8, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image of the original M is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10 uniformly charged by the main charger 11. Is formed.

Around the photosensitive drum 10, a main charger 11, a developing device 12, and a transfer charger 13 are provided.
And a peeling charger 14 are provided.
The electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the transfer charger 1 is developed as a toner image by the developing device 12, and the toner image is transferred to the transfer charger 1.
3, the sheet S is separated from the photosensitive drum 10 by the separation charger 14.

A sheet conveying path 15 for conveying the sheet S to the photosensitive drum 10 is provided below the photosensitive drum 10, and the sheet S for supplying the sheet S is provided on the upstream side of the sheet conveying path 15. A table 19, a paper feed cassette 20, and a paper feed deck 21 are arranged. On the other hand, the sheet conveying path 15
A transport belt 22 for transporting the sheet S to which the toner image has been transferred, and a fixing device 23 for fixing the toner image onto the sheet S are provided downstream of the printer.

On the downstream side of the fixing device 23, a deflector 24 for switching the conveying direction of the sheet S between the sheet post-processing device 40 direction and the re-conveying path 25 direction is provided. The re-conveying path 25 forms a circulation path for conveying the sheet S, on which the toner image has been transferred by the photosensitive drum 10, to the photosensitive drum 10 again. It enables double-sided copying.

The RDH 31 has a document tray 32 on its upper part, a feeding belt 33 on one side of the document tray 32, and a feeding belt 34 on the document table glass 3, which are circulated. Are connected by the document transport path 35. Then, the RDH 31 sends out the original M stacked on the original tray 32 onto the original glass 3 by the feed belt 33, and positions the original M at a predetermined position on the original glass 3 by the transport belt 34. At the same time, after the scanning of the original by the optical system 9 is completed, the original is returned to the original tray 32.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sheet post-processing apparatus 41 is provided with a post-processing conveyance path 42 for conveying the sheet S carried out from the copying machine main body 1 in the apparatus 41. A stapling plate 43 as a sheet receiving stand is provided in the conveying direction of the sheet S through the processing and conveying path 42, and a discharge tray 44 is provided in the conveying direction of the sheet S from the stapling plate 43.

The post-processing conveyance path 42 is formed at one end thereof with a carry-in entrance 42a for carrying in the sheet S carried out from the copying machine main body 1, and has a lower main path 42b and an upper bypass 42c in the middle thereof. It is bifurcated into. At the ends of the main path 42b and the bypass 42c, a pair of upper and lower transport rollers 45, 45,
46 is provided, and a bypass 42c and a main path 42b are provided.
A deflector 47 is provided at the branch point between the _two to rotate the sheet S in the B ₁ -B ₂ direction and switch the conveying direction of the sheet S between the main path 42b direction and the bypass 42c direction. The transport rollers 45 and 46 are driven by the transport roller driving device 108 shown in FIG. 12, and the deflector 47 is driven by the deflector driving device 107. Further, in order to detect the sheet S, as shown in FIG. 4, the sheet detection switch SW ₁ is provided in the main path 42b, a sheet detection switch SW ₂ is provided in the bypass 42c.

The stapling plate 43 is used for bookbinding (staple) of the sheets S that have passed through the post-processing conveyance path 42.
To be loaded. The staple plate 43 is disposed so as to be inclined so that the front end thereof when the conveyance direction of the sheet S is the front side is at an upper position with respect to the rear end, and the front end is near the discharge port 114 of the sheet S. Has been reached. On the staple plate 43, there is provided a paddle 48 that is rotated in the C direction while the lower end of the blade portion is in contact with the upper surface of the staple plate 43. The paddle 48 rotates as described above, and retracts the sheet S at its blade portion to a position where the rear end of the pad S contacts the stopper 49, thereby aligning the sheet S in the transport direction.

Before and after the stapling plate 43, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the stapling plate 43 seen from diagonally above and rearward except the paddle 48, and FIG. 1 on the stapling plate 43. As shown in FIG. 6 which is a P direction arrow view, a width aligning device 50 as a matching device is provided. The width aligning device 50 includes a positioning plate 51 as a sheet aligning member that is erected in a fixed state on one side of the staple plate 43 in the width direction.
And a width adjusting plate 52 as a sheet aligning member driven in the width direction of the staple plate 43. The positioning plate 51 and the width-shifting plate 52 have upper sheet guide portions 51 extending from the respective upper edge portions in mutually opposing directions.
a 52a is formed. The upper sheet guide portions 51a and 52a are configured to regulate upward bending of the sheet S when the sheet S of the stapling plate 43 is pushed out onto the discharge tray 44 by the pushing device 60 described later.

As shown in FIG. 6, the width-shifting plate 52 is provided on a support plate 54 which is guided by guide rails 53 and is movable in the width direction of the stapling plate 43. A rack gear 54a is formed on a side edge portion of the support plate 54, and the rack gear 54a is
5 is transmitted via the pulley 56, the belt 57, and the pinion gear 58, the width shift plate 52 is driven in the width direction of the staple plate 43, and the sheet S
Are aligned with a reference position set by the positioning plate 51. In addition, the width-shifting operation by the width-shifting plate 52 is performed by the width-shifting plate drive motor 55 being controlled by the control device 106, which will be described later, as a control unit.
It is designed to correspond to the width of the sheet S being used.

A stapler 59 that closes the corners of the sheet S aligned by the staple plate 43 on the stopper 49 side and the positioning plate 51 side is provided at the rear position of the positioning plate 51 in the width aligning device 50. There is.

At the rear portion of the stapling plate 43, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, an extruding device 60 as sheet extruding means is provided. This extrusion device 6
Reference numeral 0 denotes an extruding member 61 which is a sheet extruding member for extruding the sheet on the staple plate 43 toward the ejection tray 44, and the extruding member 61 for extruding the sheet on the staple plate 43 onto the ejection tray 44. D ₁ direction advanced position of, and consisting of extruded member driving device 109 shown in FIG. 1 as an extrusion member driving means for moving to the retracted position of the D ₂ direction side end position of the staple plate 43. This pushing member driving device 109
Is an extruding belt 62 to which the extruding member 61 is connected,
Belt support rollers 63, 63, a pushing member drive motor 64 described later, a guide shaft 65 also shown in FIG. 6, and a connecting member 6
6 and a sliding member 67.

The extruding member 61 is a flat plate-shaped base portion 6.
Standing portions 61b, 61b on both side edges in the width direction in 1a
And a sheet contact portion 61c that contacts the rear end of the sheet S is formed at the front of each standing portion 61b. The push-out member 61 is arranged such that the upright portions 61b and 61b project above the staple plate 43 through the insertion holes 43a and 43a formed in the staple plate 43. The extrusion belt 62 is provided on the staple plate 43.
And is supported by the belt supporting rollers 63 so as to be parallel to the upper surface of the staple plate 43 and movable in the D ₁ -D ₂ direction along the upper surface of the staple plate 43. The base portion 61a of the push-out member 61 is connected to the push-out belt 62 by a connecting member 66, and the push-out member drive motor 64 is connected to either one of the belt support rollers 63. The guide shaft 65 is supported on the lower surface of the staple plate 43 in parallel with the lower surface, and the sliding member 6 slidably provided on the guide shaft 65.
7 is connected to the base 61a of the extruding member 61, the extruding member 61 is guided by the guide shaft 65, and D ₁ -D
It is designed to move back and forth in _two directions.

On the lower surface side of the front portion of the stapling plate 43, as shown in FIG.
Is provided. This lower discharge auxiliary plate device 68
It is, D ₁ on the lower surface side of the front of the staple plate 43 -
The lower discharge assisting plate 69 as a lower discharge assisting member provided to be movable back and forth in the D ₂ direction, and the lower discharge assisting plate 69 are provided above the recess 44 a of the discharge tray 44, that is, the discharge port 114 of the sheet S and the discharge tray. A lower discharge auxiliary plate driving device 110 as a lower discharge auxiliary member driving means for moving to an advanced position in the D ₁ direction covering a step portion with respect to 44 and a retracted position retracting to the lower surface side of the stapling plate 43 in the D ₂ direction. Consists of. The lower discharge auxiliary plate driving device 110 includes the crank 70 and the lower discharge auxiliary plate 6 so that the rotation of the crank 70 moves the lower discharge auxiliary plate 69 in the D ₁ -D ₂ direction.
It is provided with a connecting bar 71 for connecting 9 and a lower discharge auxiliary plate drive motor 72 for rotating the crank 70, which will be described later. As shown in FIG. 7, the lower discharge assisting plate 69 has a shape in which a tip portion is notched at a portion corresponding to the discharge rollers 75 so that the lower discharge assisting plate 69 can advance without interfering with the discharge rollers 75. There is.

Between the upper edge of the stopper 49 on the stapling plate 43 and the lower conveying roller 45 in the main path 42b, the lower part is the stopper 4 described above.
A sheet guide plate 73 connected to the sheet guide 9 is provided.
Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the stopper 49 has push-out member passing holes 49a / 4 for allowing the push-out member 61 to pass therethrough.
9a are formed.

At the front end of the staple plate 43,
As also shown in FIG. 6, a rotary shaft 74 extending in the width direction of the staple plate 43 is provided, and the rotary shaft 74 is provided with a plurality of discharge rollers 75. Rotating shaft 74
Is connected to a discharge roller drive motor 76, which will be described later, and is driven by the discharge roller drive motor 76 so that the rotating shaft 74, that is, the discharge rollers 75, rotates in the G ₁ -G ₂ direction shown in FIG. . That is, the discharge roller 75, by rotating the G ₂ direction, while assisting the alignment of the conveying direction by moving the sheet S in the staple plate 43 to the stopper 49 direction, by rotating the G ₁ direction Then, the bound sheets S are discharged onto the discharge tray 44.

A driven roller 78 is provided above the discharge roller 75. The driven roller 78 is rotatably supported at one end of an offset guide 77 which is a sheet discharge guide member of the offset guide device 80. The other end of the offset guide device 80 is rotatably supported by the support shaft 79, and guides the upper surface side of the sheet S fed from the main path 42b in the offset mode and guides it toward the discharge tray 44. The guide 77 and an offset guide driving device 113 as a sheet discharge guide member driving unit that rotates the offset guide 77 in the F ₁ direction where the driven roller 78 contacts the discharge roller 75 and in the F ₂ direction, that is, upward.
Consists of This offset guide drive device 113 is
Eccentric cam 111 that contacts the lower surface of the offset guide 77
And an offset guide drive motor 112 for rotating the eccentric cam 111.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the discharge tray 44, a lower portion of the receiving surface of the sheet S, that is, a portion corresponding to the discharge roller 75 is a recessed portion 44a which is the lowermost surface of the discharge tray 44, and the sheet receiving portion is formed. The upper part of the surface is an inclined surface having substantially the same angle as the inclination angle of the stapling plate 43.

The discharge tray 44 is provided on the tray shift unit 81. In the tray shift unit 81, as shown in FIG. 8, a shift upper frame 82 extending in the width direction of the staple plate 43 is moved on the shift lower frame 84 in the width direction of the staple plate 43 by a plurality of rollers 83. It is supported freely. Then, the power of the tray shift motor 85 is changed to the gear 8
6 to 89, the gear shaft 90, the shift wheel 91, and the shift link 92, the shift upper frame 82, that is, the discharge tray 44 and the tray back plate 94 shown in FIG. It is designed to be shifted in the width direction of the staple plate 43. The shift position of the discharge tray 44 is an optical shift sensor 93 whose optical path is connected and disconnected by a shift wheel 91.
It is detected by. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the home position SH ₁ with respect to the discharge tray 44 and the tray back plate 94.
The shift amount from the shift position to the shift position SH ₂ is 30 mm in this embodiment.

The discharge tray 44 is driven in the vertical direction by a tray elevating unit 95 as a tray elevating means shown in FIG. The tray lifting unit 95 includes a tray lifting motor 96 described later,
A belt 97 provided vertically on the inner surface of the tray back plate 94, and a belt support roller 98 for supporting the belt.
98, an elevation assisting roller 99 provided on the tray shift unit 81 and pressed against the outer surface of the tray back plate 94, a pulley 100 provided on the drive shaft of the tray elevation motor 96,
And this pulley 100 and the lower belt supporting roller 98
It is composed of a belt 101 hung between and. A tray shift unit 81 is connected to the belt 97, and is driven by a tray elevating motor 96 to move the belt 97, whereby the discharge tray 44 is moved up and down.

In the vicinity of the rotary shaft 74 supporting the discharge rollers 75, as shown in FIG. 10, the upper limit position when the discharge tray 44 is raised, that is, the discharge tray 4
A tray upper limit detector 102 is provided as a tray upper limit detecting means for detecting a position where the discharge roller 75 is appropriately pressed against the upper surface of the sheet 4 or the sheet S on the discharge tray 44. Further, at the above-mentioned position, the upper surface of the discharge tray 44 or the upper surface of the uppermost sheet placed on the discharge tray 44 is
It is a position that reaches a position near a virtual plane including the upper surface of the staple plate 43. That is, the bookbinding sheet S pushed out from the stapling plate 43 is not greatly curved due to the step between the stapling plate 43 and the discharge tray 44, and the above-mentioned bookbinding sheet S is not bent.
Is a position where it can be properly supported.

The tray upper limit detector 102 is an actuator 104 which is swingable about a support pin 103 as a fulcrum.
And an optical upper limit switch 10 that is turned on / off by one end of the swinging actuator 104.
5 is provided. At the other end of the actuator 104, a first contact portion 104a and a second contact portion 104b, which are arranged below the rotary shaft 74 and are formed in a semicircular arc shape along the outer circumference of the rotary shaft 74, are provided. Has been formed. First contact portion 10
4a has a larger arc than the second contact portion 104b,
The lower end thereof is located below the lower end of the second contact portion 104b. Further, as shown in FIGS. 6, 9 and 11, the first contact portion 104 a is arranged near the center of the rotary shaft 74, and the second contact portion 104 b is the end of the rotary shaft 74 on the stapler 59 side. It is located near the department.

The above-mentioned first contact portion 104a is used in the offset mode in which the sheet S is discharged onto the discharge tray 44 without being stapled, and the sheet S is stapled to the discharge tray 44. It is used when the step between the central portion of the sheet S and the end portion of the sheet S closed by the staples T is small in the discharged staple mode. On the other hand, the second contact portion 1
04b is used in the staple mode when the step between the central portion of the sheet S and the end portion of the sheet S bound by the staples T shown in FIG. 11 becomes large. The lower end of the second contact portion 104b is located above the lower end of the first contact portion 104a for the following reason. That is, a plurality of sheets S are attached to the discharge tray 4
When the sheets S are stacked on the sheet 4, the end portions of the sheets S bound by the staples T are higher than the central portion. Then, the second contact portion 104b is pressed by this end portion, and the upper limit switch 105 is turned on, so that the discharge tray 44 stops at the upper limit position. Therefore, the discharge tray 44 is
Each time the stapled sheet S is discharged, the stop position moves downward depending on the height of the end portion. In this case, the lower the lower end of the second contact portion 104b is, the longer the descending distance of the discharge tray 44 from the position of the discharge roller 75 becomes, and the sheet post-processing device 41 becomes larger accordingly. Further, the longer the distance between the discharge roller 75 and the discharge tray 44, the greater the amount of downward bending of the sheet S when discharging the soft sheet S, and the more difficult it is for the sheet S to be pushed out. In order to avoid such an inconvenience, the position of the second contact portion 104b is set as described above.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the sheet detecting switch SW ₃ and the completion of the ejection are formed on the stapling plate 43.
A push-out detection switch SW ₄ which is a detection means immediately before the end is provided. The sheet detection switch SW ₃ is provided at the tip of the stapling plate 43 in the D ₁ direction and detects the ejection of the sheet S onto the ejection tray 44. On the other hand, the push-out detection switch SW ₄ is turned on by the movement of the push-out member 61 in the push-out device 60.
N / OFF, and the sheet S on the staple plate 43 is discharged by the push-out member 61 from the discharge tray 44.
When it is pushed out, the state immediately before the completion of this pushing operation is detected. The push-out completion detecting means for detecting this state may be constituted by a timer for measuring the elapsed time from the start of the movement of the push-out member 61, in addition to the push-out detection switch SW ₄ described above.

The sheet post-processing apparatus 41 is shown in FIG.
As shown in, sheet detection switch SW ₁ , SW ₂ , S
Based on inputs from W ₃ , the shift sensor 93, the upper limit switch 105 and the like, an input from a control device (not shown) on the main body of the copying machine 1 and the like, the deflector drive device 107 for driving the deflector 47 and the transport rollers 45 and 46 are set. Conveying roller driving device 108 for driving, width-shifting plate driving motor 5
5, a stapler 59, a pushing member drive motor 64, a lower discharge auxiliary plate drive motor 72, a discharge roller drive motor 76, an offset guide drive motor 112, a tray shift motor 85, and a tray elevating motor 96. I have it. This control device 10
Reference numeral 6 denotes a microcomputer provided with a storage device, a counter, a timer, etc., and according to the offset mode, staple single mode, and staple multi mode set in the copying machine main body 1, each of the above means is described below. It is designed to be controlled.

The above offset mode is used in the copying machine main body 1
Is a processing mode in which sheets S conveyed from the copier 1 are sequentially discharged onto the discharge tray 44 without post-processing, that is, without performing stapling processing. S is stapled and bound as one set of sheets S, and then the bound sheets S (hereinafter, referred to as bound sheets S)
In the staple multi mode, the sheet S conveyed from the copying machine body 1 is stapled to form a bookbinding sheet S, and then the bookbinding sheet S is discharged. Is a processing mode in which a series of operations for discharging the paper to the discharge tray 44 are continuously performed a plurality of times.

The operation of the sheet post-processing device 41 under the control of the control device 106 having the above-mentioned structure will be described below.

First, in the offset mode, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 13, when the offset number, that is, the number of copies, is set in the copying machine main body 1, a signal indicating the offset number is transmitted from the control device of the copying machine main body 1. To be done. Upon receiving the above signal (S1), the control device 106 of the sheet post-processing device 41 sets the number of offset sheets in the storage device (S2). Next, when the control device 106 receives a signal indicating an operation start from the copying machine main body 1 (S3), a predetermined start process is performed (S4), and a counter for counting the number of processed sheets is cleared (S5).

In the start processing of S4, for example,
The deflector driver 107 drives the deflector 47 to B ₁
Drive in the direction, the tray elevating unit 95 arranges the discharge tray 44 at the upper limit position detected by the tray upper limit detector 102, and the offset guide drive device 113 causes the offset guide 77 to move the offset guide 77 so that the driven roller 78 contacts the discharge roller 75. Driving in _one direction, the discharging roller driving motor 76 rotates the discharging roller 75 in the G ₁ direction, and the carrying roller driving device 108 carries the carrying rollers 45, 45.
Is performed.

After that, when the sheet S on which the image of the document M is copied is carried into the carry-in port 42a of the post-processing conveying path 42 from the copying machine main body 1, the sheet S passes through the main path 42b and then the discharging roller. The paper is discharged onto the discharge tray 44 through a space between the roller 75 and the driven roller 78. At this time, the ON of the sheet detection switch SW _1, is detected conveying operation of the sheet S in the main path 42b is (S6), ON of the sheet detection switch SW ₃ (S7), and subsequent OFF
By (S8), the passage of the sheet S between the rollers 75 and 78 is detected. Thereby, the count value of the number of processed sheets is increased (S9).

Next, the control device 106 determines whether or not the current number of processed sheets has reached the previously set offset number (S10). If the number of processed sheets has not reached the offset number, the operation proceeds to S6. Transition. On the other hand, if the number of processed sheets has reached the offset number of sheets, the number of processed sheets of the counter is cleared (S11), and the discharge tray 44 is lowered (S1).
2) After shifting by the tray shift unit 81 (S13), as shown in FIG. 14, the tray upper limit detector 1
The upper limit position detected by 02 (S1
4).

Thereafter, it is judged whether or not a signal indicating the end of the operation from the copying machine main body 1 is received (S15). If this signal is not received, the process proceeds to S6, while the above signal is received. A predetermined end process (S16),
End the operation.

Next, in the staple single mode,
As shown in the flowchart of FIG.
Receives a signal indicating the number of staples (S2
1) Set the number of staples in the storage device (S2
2). Next, when a signal indicating an operation start is received from the copying machine body 1 (S23), a predetermined start process is performed (S24), and a counter for counting the number of processed sheets is cleared (S25).

In the start processing of S24, for example, the deflector 47 is driven in the B ₁ direction and the discharge tray 44
Is arranged at the upper limit position, the offset guide 77 is driven in the F ₂ direction, the discharge roller 75 is rotated in the G ₂ direction, the paddle 48 is rotated in the C direction, and the conveying rollers 45, 45 are rotated.

After that, when the sheet S is carried into the carry-in port 42a of the post-processing carrying path 42 from the copying machine main body 1, the sheet S goes through the main path 42b and then the carrying roller 45.
・ Sending out toward the discharge roller 75 by 45,
By a discharge roller 75 and paddler 48 which rotates in the direction C, rotates the G ₂ direction, the rear end stopper 49
Is placed on the staple plate 43 in a state of contact with the staple plate 43.

At this time, the sheet detection switch SW ₁ is turned off.
By N (S26) and OFF (S27) thereafter, the passage of the sheet S through the main path 42b is detected.
As a result, the control device 106 clears the timer (S2
8) The count value of the number of processed sheets is increased (S29).

After that, when the predetermined time set by the above timer elapses (S30), it is determined that the sheet S is placed on the stapling plate 43 as described above, and the width shifting device 50 Positioning plate 5 for sheet S
It is moved to the reference position set in step 1 and aligned in the width direction (S31).

Next, the control device 106 determines whether or not the current number of sheets to be processed has reached the preset offset number of sheets (S32). If the number of sheets to be processed has not reached the number of staples, the operation proceeds to S26. Transition. On the other hand, if the number of processed sheets has reached the number of staples, the number of processed sheets of the counter is cleared (S33), and stapling is performed by the stapler 59 (S34). The discharge tray 4 in S13
In the shift operation of No. 4, a part of the sheets S discharged on the discharge tray 44 by the current discharge operation and a part of the sheets S discharged on the discharge tray 44 by the next discharge operation are discharged to the discharge tray 44. It is for distinction above.

Next, a bookbinding sheet discharge / discharge tray position adjustment process is performed (S35). This bookbinding sheet discharge / discharge tray position adjustment processing is a series of processing for discharging the bookbinding sheet S on the staple plate 43 to the discharge tray 44 and adjusting the position of the discharge tray 44, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. Is. That is, first, after rotating the discharging roller 75 in the G ₁ direction (S41), the lower discharging auxiliary plate driving device 110 drives the lower discharging auxiliary plate 6
9 is advanced onto the discharge tray 44 (S42),
The push-out member driving device 109 moves the push-out member 61 to D ₁
It advances in the direction (S43). By the operation of S43, the bookbinding sheet S on the staple plate 43 is pushed onto the discharge tray 44. Next, when the push-out detection switch SW ₄ is turned on by the movement of the push-out member 61 (S44), the lower discharge auxiliary plate 69 is retracted (S45), and the discharge tray 44 is lowered (S4).
6) After that, the push-out member 61 that has completed the push-out of the bookbinding sheet S is retracted (S47). Next, the tray shift unit 81 shifts the discharge tray 44 (S
48) After that, the discharge tray 44 is raised to the upper limit position where the upper limit switch 105 is turned on (S49).

After that, when a signal indicating the end of the operation is received from the copying machine main body 1 (S36), a predetermined end process is performed (S37), and the operation is ended.

Here, when the bookbinding sheet S is extruded in S43, if there is no guide on the upper surface side of the bookbinding sheet S, the bookbinding sheet S extruded by the extruding member 61 of the extruding device 60 as shown in FIG. Is a stapling plate 43 if it is soft and weak.
It tends to bend upwards greatly, making smooth extrusion difficult. However, in the present sheet post-processing device 41, since the upper sheet guide portion 51a is formed on the positioning plate 51 of the width-shifting device 50, the upper sheet guide portion 51a causes upward binding as shown in FIG. The bending of the sheet S is restricted. Therefore, the binding sheet S
Can be extruded smoothly. Further, when it is desired to improve the upper guide function of the bookbinding sheet S, the width aligning plate 52
The upper sheet guide portion 52a is also used. In this case,
After the alignment is performed by the width aligning device 50 in S31, if the number of staples is not reached in S32, the width aligning plate 52 is retracted to the home position, and if the number of staples is reached, extrusion is performed. Until the pushing operation by the device 60 is completed,
2 is controlled to be held at the position where the width is adjusted.

Also, the bookbinding sheet S in S43 described above.
When there is no guide on the lower surface side of the bookbinding sheet S at a position above the concave portion 44a of the discharge tray 44 when the sheet is pushed out,
As shown in FIG. 19, if the bookbinding sheet S extruded onto the discharge tray 44 is soft and has a weak stiffness, it tends to be largely curved in the direction of the recess 44a, which makes smooth extrusion difficult. However, this sheet post-processing device 4
In the first embodiment, when the bookbinding sheet S is pushed out by the pushing device 60, the lower discharge assisting plate 69 is advanced above the recess 44a, so that the lower discharge assisting plate 69 causes the recess 44a as shown in FIG. The bending of the bookbinding sheet S in the direction is restricted. Therefore, the bookbinding sheet S can be extruded smoothly.

Further, in the present sheet post-processing device 41, the height position of the discharge tray 44 required after discharging the bookbinding sheet S onto the discharge tray 44 is adjusted by lowering the discharge tray 44 once and then setting the upper limit switch. This is performed by raising the discharge tray 44 to the upper limit position detected by 105. The lowering operation of the discharge tray 44 at this time is
As shown in S44 and S46, since it is started when the push-out detection switch SW ₄ is turned on by the movement of the push-out member 61, that is, immediately before the ejection of the sheet S by the push-out member 61 is completed, The bookbinding sheet S pushed out from the staple plate 43 is prevented from being pushed out in a state where the front portion is supported by the discharge tray 44 and the front portion is bent downward. Therefore, the bookbinding sheet S can be smoothly pushed out to the discharge tray 44.

The timing for lowering the discharge tray 44 is as follows.
Considering only the dischargeability of the bookbinding sheet S, it is best after the bookbinding sheet S is completely discharged onto the discharge tray 44, but in the present embodiment, the processing speed in the case of continuous processing is set. Considering this, the setting is made as above.
The lowering timing of the discharge tray 44 is not limited to the above timing, and the front end portion of the pushed sheet S is on the upper surface of the discharge tray 44 or the upper surface of the uppermost sheet S placed on the discharge tray 44. If the discharge tray 44 descends after reaching the discharge tray 44, the discharge performance can be improved, although there is some difference in function.

Next, in the staple multi mode, the operations shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 21 to 25 are performed.
The bookbinding sheet ejection / ejection tray position adjustment processing in each flowchart is the operation shown in FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 21, the controller 10
When receiving the signal indicating the number of staples for forming the bookbinding sheet S of each part (S61), the unit 6 sets the number of staples in the storage device (S62). Next, when a signal indicating the operation start is received from the copying machine body 1 (S6
3) A predetermined start process is performed (S64), and the counter for counting the number of processed sheets is cleared (S65).

In the start processing of S64, for example, the deflector 47 is driven in the B ₁ direction and the discharge tray 44
Is arranged at the upper limit position, the offset guide 77 is driven in the F ₂ direction, the discharge roller 75 is rotated in the G ₂ direction, the paddle 48 is rotated in the C direction, and the conveying rollers 45 and 46 are rotated.

Thereafter, the first part of the first part from the copying machine main body 1
When the second sheet S is carried into the carry-in entrance 42a of the post-processing carrying path 42, the sheet S passes through the main path 42b, and is sent out by the carrying rollers 45 toward the discharge roller 75. Discharge roller 7 that rotates in _two directions
5 and the paddle 48 rotating in the C direction, is placed on the staple plate 43 with its rear end in contact with the stopper 49.

At this time, O of the sheet detection switch SW ₁
By N (S66) and OFF (S67) thereafter, the passage of the sheet S through the main path 42b is detected.
As a result, the control device 106 clears the timer (S6
8) The count value of the number of processed sheets is increased (S69).

Next, since the sheet S being conveyed on the main path 42b is the first sheet S of the first copy,
The number of sheets to be processed is 1 (S70), and the stapling plate 43 is in the ready state in which the sheet S is not placed (S71). Therefore, the process proceeds to S78 shown in FIG. The device 50 aligns the sheet S in the width direction (S79). Then, since the number of staples has not been reached (S80), the process proceeds to S66.

Next, when the second sheet S of the first set is carried into the main path 42b, the above S66-
After performing the operation of S69, the number of sheets to be processed becomes two.
70) and shifts to S78 in FIG. And S78
After performing the operation of S79, if the number of staples set in advance is reached, that is, if the number of staples set in advance is 2 (S80), the counter of the number of processed sheets is cleared (S81), and the stapler is set. The Tesple process by 59 is performed (S82), and the process proceeds to S66.

On the other hand, if the number of staples is not reached in S80, S66 to S70 and S78 to S8.
0 is performed until the number of staples is reached, and when the number of staples is reached, the process proceeds to S66 through S81 and S82.
Move to

Next, in S66, when the sheet detection switch SW ₁ is not turned on after the stapling process in S82, the process proceeds to S83 shown in FIG. And S
If the above-described bookbinding sheet discharge / discharge tray position adjustment processing has not been completed in 83, this processing is performed (S84).
The process returns to S66. If the bookbinding sheet discharge / discharge tray position adjustment processing has been completed in S83, it is determined whether or not a signal indicating the end of the operation has been received from the copying machine body 1 (S85). S66
On the other hand, if a signal has been received, predetermined termination processing is performed (S86), and the operation is terminated.

[0085] Further, after the stapling process in S82 in S66, when already ON sheet detection switch SW ₁ by the first sheet S of the second copy, the sheet detection switch SW ₁ in S67 is not OFF,
The process moves to S87 in FIG.

Then, in S87, the binding sheet is ejected.
If the discharge tray position adjusting process is not completed, this process is performed (S88), and the process proceeds to S67, while if the bookbinding sheet discharge / discharge tray position adjusting process is completed, the process directly proceeds to S67.

Next, the sheet detection switch SW ₁ is turned ON and then turned OFF in the above S66 and S67.
After the operations of S68 and S69 are performed based on, the sheet S being conveyed along the main path 42b is
If it is the first sheet, since the number of processed sheets is 1 in S70, the process proceeds to S71. Then, in this S71,
By the bookbinding sheet ejection / ejection tray position adjustment processing, the first part of the bookbinding sheet S has already been pushed out from the staple plate 43, and the staple plate 43 is ready.
If the state is No, the process proceeds to S78 of FIG. 22 and the following operation is performed.

On the other hand, in S71 described above, if the pushing out of the bookbinding sheet S of the first copy on the stapling plate 43 is not completed, the conveying rollers 45, 45 are stopped to make the second copy of the second copy of the second copy. The first sheet S is stopped on the main path 42b (S72). afterwards,
The deflector drive unit 107 drives the deflector 47 to the B position.
_The main path 42b is closed by rotating in _two directions (S7).
3). As a result, the second transported into the post-processing transport path 42
The second sheet S of the copy is conveyed through the bypass 42c. Next, after the sheet detection switch SW ₂ is turned on by the second sheet S (S74) and turned off (S75), the _second sheet in the bypass 42c
After confirming the conveyance of the second sheet S of the second copy, the deflector 47 is rotated in the B ₁ direction, that is, in the closing direction of the bypass 42c (S76), and the conveyance rollers 45 are rotated to rotate the second copy. Of the first sheet S is restarted (S7
7). As a result, the first sheet S and the second sheet S of the second copy are placed on the staple plate 43 in synchronization.

If the sheet detection switch SW ₂ is not turned on in S74, the process proceeds to S89 shown in FIG. Then, if the above-described bookbinding sheet discharge / discharge tray position adjustment processing is not completed in S89 (S90), the process proceeds to S74 again. If the bookbinding sheet discharge / discharge tray position adjustment processing has been completed in S89, the process directly proceeds to S74.

Next, S68 to S70 and S78 to 82
Operation, or S68 to S70, S78 to 80, S66
The staple process is performed through the operations of S70 to S78 to S82. After that, when the production of the bookbinding sheet S is finished in the second part, the sheet detection switch SW ₁ is not turned on in S66, whereby the operation shifts to the operation shown in FIG. 23, and the operation is performed as described above. finish. Meanwhile, the third
If the bookbinding sheet S continues to be created after the first copy,
As appropriate, S66 to S70, S78 to S84 and S87 to
After the operation of S90 is performed, the operations of S85 and S86 are performed, and then the operation of the staple multi mode is ended.

As described above, in the staple multi-mode of the sheet post-processing apparatus 41, a part of the bookbinding sheets S to be prepared is a part of the bookbinding sheet S.
However, if the first sheet S of the next part is placed on the staple plate 43 when the first sheet S of the next portion is not yet pushed out to the discharge tray 44, Since the first sheet S is placed on the staple plate 43 in synchronization with the second sheet S, the processing speed is increased.

[Embodiment 2] Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.
The following description is based on FIGS. For the sake of convenience, members having the same functions as those shown in the drawings of the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The sheet post-processing device 121 of the present embodiment replaces the upper sheet guide portions 51a and 52a of the width-shifting device 50 shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 with upper discharge as shown in FIGS. The auxiliary plate device 122 is provided.

The upper discharge assisting plate device 122 is
An upper ejection assisting plate 123 as an upper ejection assisting member, which is provided above the pushing member 61 in parallel with the stapling plate 43 in a direction D ₁ -D ₂ so as to be movable back and forth, and the upper ejection assisting plate 123 are used for stapling. An advancing position in the D ₁ direction near the front end of the plate 43,
The upper ejection assisting plate driving device 128 serves as an upper ejection assisting member driving means for moving the front end portion to a retracted position in which it retracts in the D ₂ direction from the sheet guide plate 73. The upper discharge assisting plate driving device 128 is provided on both sides of the upper discharge assisting plate 123, and as shown in FIG. 27, it is provided with guide rails 124 and 124 for guiding the movement of the upper discharge assisting plate 123 and power transmission means. There is, for example, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 8, a rack gear 123a and a pinion gear 125 formed on the upper discharge auxiliary plate 123, and an upper discharge auxiliary plate drive motor 126 for rotating the pinion gear 125 are provided. Further, the operation of the upper ejection auxiliary plate drive motor 126 is controlled as described later by the control device 127 as a control means shown in FIG.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 27, the sheet guide plate 73 on the stapling plate 43 is formed with a plate insertion hole 73b for moving the upper discharge assisting plate 123 forward and backward.

Further, the width aligning device 131 is replaced with the positioning plate 51 and the width aligning plate 52 in the width aligning device 50 shown in the first embodiment, and the upper sheet guide portions 51a and 52a.
The positioning plate 132 and the width-shifting plate 133 which do not have a are provided. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.
Is the same as

In the above structure, the operation of the sheet post-processing device 121 under the control of the control device 127 is as follows.
As in the case of the first embodiment, FIG.
3. In the staple single mode, the flowcharts are shown in FIG. 15, and in the staple multi mode, the flowcharts shown in FIGS. However, the bookbinding sheet ejection / ejection tray position adjustment processing in each flowchart is as shown in FIG.
The operation shown in the flowchart of 0 is performed. Hereinafter, this operation will be described.

First, after rotating the discharge roller 75 in the G ₁ direction (S101), the upper discharge auxiliary plate driving device 12
The upper ejection assisting plate 123 is advanced on the ejection tray 44 by 8 (S102), and the pushing member 61 is advanced by the pushing member driving device 109 in the D ₁ direction (S103). By the operation of S103, the bookbinding sheet S on the staple plate 43 is pushed out onto the discharge tray 44. Next, when the push-out detection switch SW ₄ is turned on by the movement of the push-out member 61 (S10
4) Then, the discharge tray 44 is lowered (S105), and thereafter, the upper discharge auxiliary plate 123 and the push-out member 61 which has finished pushing out the bookbinding sheet S are simultaneously retracted (S106 and S107). Next, the tray shift unit 81 shifts the discharge tray 44 (S108),
Then, the discharge tray 44 is raised to the upper limit position where the upper limit switch 105 is turned on (S109).

As described above, the sheet post-processing device 121
Then, when the bookbinding sheet S is extruded in S103,
As shown in FIG. 31, the upper discharge auxiliary plate 123 of the upper discharge auxiliary plate device 122 advanced in S102 restricts the upward bending of the bookbinding sheet S. Therefore, even if the binding sheet S is soft and stiff, it can be extruded smoothly.
When the discharging property of the bookbinding sheet S having the above-described structure was examined, it was easy to extrude the bookbinding sheet S obtained by stapling two A3 sheets made of thin paper of 60 g / m ² .

The timing of moving the upper discharge assisting plate 123 to the advanced position is not limited to the above, and the upper discharge assisting plate 123 moving to the advanced position moves upward when the pushing member 61 is pushed out. The timing may be any timing at which the bending of the bookbinding sheet S can be regulated.

[Embodiment 3] Still another embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 32 to 35. For the sake of convenience, members having the same functions as those shown in the drawings of the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The sheet post-processing device 141 of this embodiment is replaced with the upper sheet guide portions 51a and 52a and the sheet guide plate 73 of the width-shifting device 50 shown in FIGS.
The sheet guide device 142 shown in FIGS. 32 and 33 is provided. This sheet guide device 14
2 is a sheet guide 143 as a sheet guide member
And a sheet guide driving device 147 as a sheet guide member driving means. The sheet guide 143 is rotatably connected to the upper edge of the stopper 49, and
From the upper edge of the main path 42b as a sheet conveying path
Has reached the lower conveying roller 45 at the delivery port.
The sheet guide driving device 147 is a control device 14 described later.
Based on the control of FIG. 8, the sheet guide 143 is fixed to the conveyance guide position between the stopper 49 and the conveyance roller 45 in the offset mode, while the upper surface of the stapling plate 43 is appropriately set in the single and multiple staple modes. It is designed to drive to a guide position on the seat that is almost parallel to.

As shown in FIG. 33, the above-mentioned sheet guide drive device 147 includes a crank 144 and a crank 1.
Connecting bar 145 connecting 44 and the sheet guide 143
And a sheet guide plate drive motor 146 shown in FIG. 34 for rotating the crank 144. The operation of the sheet guide plate drive motor 146 is controlled by the control device 148 as a control means shown in FIG. 34 as described later.

The width aligning device 131 is the same as that shown in FIG. 26 of the second embodiment. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

In the above structure, the operation of the sheet post-processing device 141 under the control of the control device 148 is as follows.
As in the case of the first embodiment, FIG.
3. In the staple single mode, the flowcharts are shown in FIG. 15, and in the staple multi mode, the flowcharts shown in FIGS. However, the bookbinding sheet ejection / ejection tray position adjustment processing in each flowchart is as shown in FIG.
The operation shown in the flowchart of 5 is performed. Hereinafter, this operation will be described.

First, after rotating the discharge roller 75 in the direction G ₁ (S111), the sheet guide driving device 147 rotates the sheet guide 143 to the sheet upper guide position (S112), and the pushing member driving device 109 also. The push-out member 61 is advanced in the D ₁ direction (S11
3). By the operation of S113, the bookbinding sheet S on the staple plate 43 is pushed out onto the discharge tray 44. Next, when the push-out detection switch SW ₄ is turned on by the movement of the push-out member 61 (S114), the discharge tray 44 is lowered (S115), and then the sheet guide 143 is rotated to the conveyance guide position (S11).
6), the extruding member 6 that has completed the extrusion of the bookbinding sheet S
1 is regressed (S117). Next, the discharge tray 44 is shifted by the tray shift unit 81 (S11
8) After that, the discharge tray 44 is raised to the upper limit position where the upper limit switch 105 is turned on (S119).

As described above, the sheet post-processing device 141
Then, when the bookbinding sheet S is extruded in S113,
As shown in FIG. 33, the bending of the bookbinding sheet S upward is restricted by the sheet guide 143 which is rotated to the sheet upper guide position in S112. Therefore, even if the binding sheet S is soft and stiff, it can be extruded smoothly.

The timing of turning the sheet guide 143 to the sheet upper guide position is not limited to that described above, and the sheet guide 14 that turns to the sheet upper guide position is used.
It is sufficient that the timing of 3 can regulate the upward bending of the bookbinding sheet S due to the pushing operation of the pushing member 61.

[Embodiment 4] Still another embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 36 to 38. For the sake of convenience, members having the same functions as those shown in the drawings of the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The sheet post-processing device 151 of this embodiment is shown in FIGS. 36 and 37 in place of the upper sheet guide portions 51a and 52a and the offset guide device 80 of the width-shifting device 50 shown in FIGS. An offset guide device 152 is provided. The offset guide device 152 includes an offset guide 153, an offset guide drive device 154, and the offset guide drive device 113 shown in FIG. 1 (not shown in FIGS. 36 and 37). .

The above-mentioned offset guide 153 supports the driven roller 78, and like the offset guide 77 shown in FIG. 1, with the support shaft 155 at one end side as the center, by the control of the control device 159 described later, It is adapted to be driven by the offset guide drive device 113 to rotate in the F ₁ -F ₂ directions. Further, the offset guide 153 is driven by the offset guide driving device 154 centering on the support shaft 156 on the other end side, and in the single and multi-staple modes, the offset guide 153 and the stapling plate 43 in the i ₁ direction are appropriately arranged. It rotates to the parallel sheet guide position and is fixed to the discharge guide position in the i ₂ direction that guides the upper surface side of the sheet S fed from the main path 42b and guides it in the discharge tray 44 direction in the offset mode. It has become. Therefore, the position of the support shaft 155 is fixed in the offset mode by a fixing means (not shown),
The position fixing state of the support shaft 156 is released, and the position of the support shaft 156 is fixed while the position fixing state of the support shaft 155 is released in the single and multiple staple modes.

The offset guide driving device 154 is shown in FIG.
7, a rack gear 157, a pinion gear 158 that meshes with the rack gear 157, and an offset common to the offset guide drive device 113 shown in FIG. Guide drive motor 112
It is composed of The above rack gear 157 is
It is formed in an arc shape centering on the support shaft 156 and is connected to the offset guide 153 in the single and multi staple modes by a connecting mechanism (not shown),
In the offset mode, the connection with the offset guide 153 is released. The operation of the offset guide drive motor 112 is controlled by the control device 159 as a control means shown in FIG. 12 as described later. The engagement and disengagement of the connection between the offset guide 153 and the offset guide driving device 154 due to the different movement modes of the offset guide 153 between the offset mode and the single and multi-staple mode are as described above. It does not have to be between the rack gear 157 and the rack gear 157 as long as it is performed at an appropriate portion. Also, for example, the offset guide 1
The connection between 53 and the offset guide drive device 154 may not be fitted and removed, but both may move integrally.

The width aligning device 131 is the same as that shown in FIG. 26 of the second embodiment. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

In the above structure, the operation of the sheet post-processing device 151 under the control of the control device 159 is as follows.
As in the case of the first embodiment, FIG.
3. In the staple single mode, the flowcharts are shown in FIG. 15, and in the staple multi mode, the flowcharts shown in FIGS. However, the bookbinding sheet ejection / ejection tray position adjustment processing in each flowchart is as shown in FIG.
The operation shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8 is performed. Hereinafter, this operation will be described.

First, after rotating the discharge roller 75 in the G ₁ direction (S121), the offset guide driving device 154 is used.
The offset guide 153 is thereby rotated to the on-sheet guide position (S122), and the pushing member driving device 1
The push-out member 61 is advanced in the D ₁ direction by 09 (S
123). By the operation of S123, the bookbinding sheet S on the staple plate 43 is pushed out onto the discharge tray 44. Next, when the push-out detection switch SW ₄ is turned on by the movement of the push-out member 61 (S124), the discharge tray 44 is lowered (S125), and then the offset guide 153 is rotated to the discharge guide position (S126). Then, the push-out member 61, which has completed the extrusion of the bookbinding sheet S, is retracted (S127). Next, the discharge tray 44 is shifted by the tray shift unit 81 (S128), and then the discharge tray 44 is raised to the upper limit position where the upper limit switch 105 is turned on (S12).
9).

As described above, the sheet post-processing device 151
Then, when the bookbinding sheet S is extruded in S123,
As shown in FIG. 37, the bending of the bookbinding sheet S upward is restricted by the offset guide 153 which is rotated to the on-sheet guide position in S122. Therefore, even if the binding sheet S is soft and stiff, it can be extruded smoothly.

The rotation timing of the offset guide 153 to the on-sheet guide position is not limited to the above, and the push-out operation of the pushing member 61 can be performed by the offset guide 153 that rotates to the on-sheet guide position. The timing may be any timing at which the upward bending of the bookbinding sheet S can be restricted.

[Embodiment 5] Still another embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 39 to 42. For the sake of convenience, members having the same functions as those shown in the drawings of the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The sheet post-processing device 161 of this embodiment is replaced with the upper sheet guide portions 51a and 52a of the width-shifting device 50 shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, and the upper discharge assisting guide device shown in FIGS. 39 and 40. It is equipped with 162. The upper ejection auxiliary guide device 162 includes an upper ejection auxiliary guide 163 and an upper ejection auxiliary guide driving device 164.

The upper discharge assisting guide 163 is provided near the tip of the offset guide 168, and supports the spindle 1.
It is rotatable in the j ₁ -j ₂ direction around the center 65.
The upper discharge auxiliary guide 163 has a base 163 on the side of the support shaft 165.
a and the sheet guide portion 163b on the front end side are formed,
The sheet guide portion 163b is provided on the upper discharge auxiliary guide 16
3 rotates to the on-sheet guide position in the j ₁ direction,
It is bent with respect to the base portion 163a so as to be substantially parallel to the staple plate 43. Further, the offset guide 168 is formed with an opening (not shown) for rotating the upper discharge auxiliary guide 163. still,
The offset guide 168 has a function similar to that of the offset guide 77 shown in FIG. 1, and is driven by the offset guide driving device 113 to rotate in the F ₁ -F ₂ direction about the support shaft 79. It has become.

The upper discharge auxiliary guide drive device 164 is shown in FIG.
As shown in 0, the support shaft 165 of the upper discharge auxiliary guide 163
And a top discharge assisting guide drive solenoid 167 having a rod portion 167a attached to the tip of the lever 166. The upper discharge auxiliary guide drive solenoid 167 moves the upper discharge auxiliary guide 163 in the j ₂ direction in the offset mode, that is, the offset guide 168 by the advancing / retreating operation of the rod portion 167a based on the control of the control device 169 as the control means shown in FIG. In the single and multi-staple mode, it is appropriately driven to a sheet guide position in the j ₁ direction substantially parallel to the staple plate 43.

The width aligning device 131 is the same as that shown in FIG. 26 of the second embodiment. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

In the above structure, the operation of the sheet post-processing device 161 under the control of the control device 169 is as follows.
As in the case of the first embodiment, FIG.
3. In the staple single mode, the flowcharts are shown in FIG. 15, and in the staple multi mode, the flowcharts shown in FIGS. However, the bookbinding sheet ejection / ejection tray position adjustment processing in each flowchart is as shown in FIG.
The operation shown in the flowchart of 2 is performed. Hereinafter, this operation will be described.

First, after rotating the discharging roller 75 in the G ₁ direction (S131), the upper discharging auxiliary guide driving device 164 is driven.
The upper discharge auxiliary guide 163 is rotated to the sheet upper guide position (S132), and the pushing member driving device 1 is operated.
The push-out member 61 is advanced in the D ₁ direction by 09 (S
133). By the operation of S133, the bookbinding sheet S on the staple plate 43 is pushed out onto the discharge tray 44. Next, when the push-out detection switch SW ₄ is turned on by the movement of the push-out member 61 (S134), the discharge tray 44 is lowered (S135), and then the upper discharge auxiliary guide 163 is rotated to the retracted position (S1).
36), the push-out member 61 that has completed the push-out of the bookbinding sheet S is retracted (S137). Next, the discharge tray 44 is shifted by the tray shift unit 81 (S13
8) After that, the discharge tray 44 is raised to the upper limit position where the upper limit switch 105 is turned on (S139).

As described above, the sheet post-processing device 161.
Then, when the bookbinding sheet S is extruded in S133,
As shown in FIG. 40, the upward discharge auxiliary guide 163 that has rotated to the sheet upper guide position in S132 restricts the upward bending of the bookbinding sheet S. Therefore, even if the binding sheet S is soft and stiff, it can be extruded smoothly.

The rotation timing of the upper discharge auxiliary guide 163 to the sheet upper guide position is not limited to the above, and the upper discharge auxiliary guide 163 that rotates to the sheet upper guide position causes the pushing member 61 to move. The timing may be any timing at which the upward bending of the bookbinding sheet S due to the pushing operation can be restricted.

[Embodiment 6] Still another embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1, 12, 43 and 44.

The sheet post-processing apparatus 171 of this embodiment has the same structure as the sheet post-processing apparatus 41 shown in FIG.
It is controlled by a control device 172 as a control means shown in FIG. The control device 172 controls the offset guide device 80 to move the offset guide 77 to the driven roller 7 in the offset mode.
8 is rotated in the F ₁ direction so as to contact the discharge roller 75. Further, in the single and multi-staple mode, the control device 172 controls the offset guide 77 to move the driven roller 78 above the discharge roller 75 in the F ₂ direction except for the binding sheet discharge / discharge tray position adjustment processing. 1 to a closed position in the F ₁ direction shown in FIG. 1 in which the driven roller 78 abuts the discharge roller 75, as described later, only during the bookbinding sheet discharge / discharge tray position adjustment processing. It is designed to let you. Since the offset guide 77 is rotatable about the support shaft 79 even when it is arranged in the closed position, this prevents the pushing member 61 from pushing the bookbinding sheet S onto the discharge tray 44. There is no need to be. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

The operation of the bookbinding sheet ejecting / ejection tray position adjusting process in the booklet sheet post-processing device 171 having the above-described structure will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In the binding sheet ejection / ejection tray position adjustment processing, first, the ejection roller 75 is rotated in the G ₁ direction (S141), and then the offset guide drive device 113 closes the offset guide 77 in the F ₁ direction. It is rotated to the position (S142), and the pushing member driving device 109
To push the pushing member 61 in the D ₁ direction (S14).
3). By the operation of S143, the bookbinding sheet S on the staple plate 43 is pushed out onto the discharge tray 44. Next, when the push-out detection switch SW ₄ is turned on by the movement of the push-out member 61 (S144), the discharge tray 44 is lowered (S145), and then the offset guide 77 is rotated to the open position (S14).
6), the extruding member 6 that has completed the extrusion of the bookbinding sheet S
1 is regressed (S147). Next, the discharge tray 44 is shifted by the tray shift unit 81 (S14
8) After that, the discharge tray 44 is raised to the upper limit position where the upper limit switch 105 is turned on (S149).

As described above, the sheet post-processing device 171.
Then, when the bookbinding sheet S is extruded in S143,
In S142, the offset guide 77 is rotated to the closed position as shown in FIG.
It is possible to avoid the situation where the advancing push-out member 61 collides with the operator's hand that has been carelessly inserted.

[0132]

As described above, the sheet discharging apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention is capable of advancing and retracting the sheet in the direction in which it comes into contact with the sheet on the sheet receiving base and pushes this sheet to the discharge tray, and in the opposite direction. A member, a sheet pushing-out member driving means for driving the sheet pushing-out member, and an upper surface of the discharge tray or an uppermost sheet placed on the upper surface of the discharge tray is a virtual plane including the upper surface of the sheet receiving tray. a tray upper limit detection means for detecting the upper limit position arrival status of the output tray is a state has been reached in the vicinity, the Sea
Extrusion of the sheet by the push-out member is completed
The state immediately before the completion of extrusion of the extruded member, which is the state immediately before
The state just before the completion of extrusion for detecting the state and the tray upper limit detecting unit detects the state where the upper limit position of the discharge tray is reached, the pushing operation of the sheet pushing member to the sheet is started, State just before the above extrusion is completed
When the state just before the completion of extrusion is detected by the detection means
Then , the sheet ejection member driving means and the control means for controlling the ejection tray elevating means are provided so that the ejection tray descends.

As a result, the sheets can be discharged onto the discharge tray regardless of the amount of the sheets, and the deviation of the sheets is unlikely to occur even when discharging the sheet bundle which is not integrated. Further, at least the front end portion of the sheet pushed out onto the discharge tray is supported by the discharge tray, and it is possible to avoid the situation where the front end portion of the sheet is lowered and the sheet is bent at the beginning of the pushing operation. The sheet can be extruded smoothly.

As described above, the sheet discharging apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention covers the sheet pushing-out means for pushing the sheet on the sheet receiving tray toward the discharging tray and the stepped portion between the sheet discharging port and the discharging tray. A lower discharge assisting member that can move forward and backward to an advanced position and a retracted position to move away from the advanced position, a lower discharge assisting member driving means that drives the lower discharge assisting member, and a sheet on the sheet receiving table by the sheet pushing means. Before the sheet is pushed out onto the discharge tray, the lower discharge auxiliary member is controlled so as to move to the advanced position.

As a result, the sheets can be discharged onto the discharge tray regardless of the amount of sheets, and even when discharging a non-integrated sheet bundle, misalignment between the sheets hardly occurs. Further, when the sheet is pushed onto the discharge tray, the stepped portion between the sheet discharge port and the discharge tray, which is generated when the lowermost surface of the discharge tray is below the sheet discharge port, is covered by the lower discharge auxiliary member. Since a situation in which the pushed-out sheet enters the stepped portion and bends downward is avoided, it is possible to smoothly push out the sheet to the discharge tray.

As described above, the sheet discharging apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention has the sheet aligning members on both sides in the sheet width direction orthogonal to the pushing direction of the sheet pushing means, and the sheet receiving tray is provided by these sheet aligning members. An aligning unit that aligns the upper sheet at the reference position in the sheet width direction and a sheet pushing-out unit that pushes the sheet aligned by the aligning unit toward the discharge tray are provided. The sheet along at least one alignment member of the means,
An upper sheet guide portion that protrudes in the width direction of the sheet into the space above the sheet and restricts the upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing-out unit is formed on one of the alignment members.

As a result, the sheets can be discharged onto the discharge tray regardless of the amount of sheets, and even when discharging a bundle of sheets that are not integrated, the deviation between the sheets hardly occurs. Further, when the sheet is pushed out to the discharge tray, the upper sheet guide portion of the aligning member regulates the upward bending of the sheet, so that the sheet can be smoothly pushed out to the discharge tray.

As described above, in the sheet discharging apparatus of the invention of claim 4, the sheet pushing-out means for pushing the sheet on the sheet receiving base toward the discharging tray and the upward bending of the sheet accompanying the pushing-out operation of the sheet pushing-out means. The upper discharge auxiliary member capable of advancing and retreating to the advanced position on the sheet pedestal that regulates the upper discharge assist position and the retracted position retracting from the advanced position, the upper discharge auxiliary member driving means for driving the upper discharge auxiliary member, and moving to the advanced position. The upper discharge assisting member controls the upper discharge member driving unit so that the upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing unit is restricted.

As a result, the sheets can be discharged onto the discharge tray regardless of the amount of the sheets, and the deviation of the sheets is unlikely to occur even when discharging the sheet bundle which is not integrated. Further, when the sheet is pushed onto the discharge tray, the upward discharge auxiliary member regulates the upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing means, so that the sheet is smoothly pushed onto the discharge tray. It can be carried out.

As described above, the sheet discharging apparatus according to the invention of claim 5 is provided between the sheet delivery port and the sheet receiving tray in the sheet transporting path for loading the sheet from the main body apparatus. A sheet guide that is movable to a conveyance guide position that guides the sheet sent from the sheet toward the sheet pedestal, and an on-sheet guide position on the sheet pedestal that regulates upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing means. The member, the sheet guide member driving unit that drives the sheet guide member, and the sheet pushing member move the sheet guide member to the sheet upper guide position before the sheet pushing operation onto the discharge tray is started by the sheet pushing unit. Thus, the control means for controlling the sheet guide member driving means is provided.

As a result, it is possible to discharge the sheets onto the discharge tray regardless of the amount of the sheets, and when the sheet bundles that are not integrated are discharged, the deviation between the sheets hardly occurs. Further, when the sheet is pushed onto the discharge tray, the upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing means is regulated by the sheet guide member, so that the sheet is smoothly pushed to the discharge tray. be able to.

As described above, the sheet discharging device of the invention of claim 6 is provided above the sheet pushing-out means for pushing the sheet on the sheet receiving tray toward the discharging tray and above the portion of the sheet receiving tray in the discharging tray direction. It is movable to a sheet discharge guide position that guides the sheet discharged to the discharge tray toward the discharge tray, and an upper sheet guide position on the sheet pedestal that regulates upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing means. The sheet discharge guide member, the sheet discharge guide member driving means for driving the sheet discharge guide member, and the sheet discharge guide member before the sheet pushing operation onto the discharge tray is started by the sheet pushing means. And a control means for controlling the sheet discharge guide member driving means so as to move to the upper guide position. It is a configuration.

As a result, the sheets can be discharged onto the discharge tray regardless of the amount of sheets, and even when discharging a sheet bundle that is not integrated, misalignment between the sheets is unlikely to occur. Also, when the sheet is pushed onto the discharge tray, the sheet discharge guide member
Since the upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing-out means is regulated, the pushing of the sheet onto the discharge tray can be smoothly performed.

As described above, the sheet discharging apparatus according to the seventh aspect of the invention ejects the sheet on the sheet receiving tray toward the discharge tray, and guides the sheet discharged to the discharge tray toward the discharge tray. A sheet guide position provided on a sheet discharge guide member above the sheet tray in the discharge tray direction, and restricts upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing means, and retreats from the sheet upper guide position. The upper discharge auxiliary guide member movable to the retreat position, the upper discharge auxiliary guide member driving means for driving the upper discharge auxiliary guide member, and the sheet pushing-out means start the operation of pushing the sheet onto the discharge tray. Previously, the upper discharge auxiliary guide member driving means was controlled so that the upper discharge auxiliary guide member moved to the sheet upper guide position. A configuration in which a control means for.

As a result, the sheets can be discharged onto the discharge tray regardless of the amount of sheets, and even when discharging a sheet bundle that is not integrated, misalignment between the sheets is unlikely to occur. Also, when the sheet is pushed onto the discharge tray, the upper discharge auxiliary guide member
Since the upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing-out means is regulated, the pushing of the sheet onto the discharge tray can be smoothly performed.

As described above, the sheet discharging apparatus according to the invention of claim 8 is provided above the sheet pushing-out means for pushing the sheet on the sheet receiving tray toward the discharging tray and above the portion of the sheet receiving tray in the discharging tray direction. Guides the sheet discharged to the discharge tray in the closed position where the end on the discharge direction side moves toward the sheet receiving tray, and the end on the discharge direction side moves further upward from the sheet receiving tray than the closed position. The sheet discharge guide member that is movable to the sheet discharge guide position and the sheet discharge guide member can be moved to the above-described sheet discharge guide position and the sheet can be pushed out from between the sheet discharge guide member and the sheet receiving tray. In this state, the sheet discharge guide member driving means for moving the sheet discharge guide member to the closed position and the sheet discharge means for discharging the sheet discharge guide member described above. When the push-out operation of the sheet onto the tray is performed, a configuration in which the sheet discharge guide member and a control means for controlling the sheet discharge guide member drive means to move to the closed position.

As a result, the sheets can be discharged onto the discharge tray regardless of the amount of sheets, and even when discharging a sheet bundle that is not integrated, the deviation between the sheets is less likely to occur. Also, when the sheet is pushed onto the discharge tray, the sheet discharge guide member
Since the operator's hand or the like is prevented from being inserted into the position where the sheet pushing-out means operates, when the operator's hand or the like is carelessly inserted from the sheet discharge port, the sheet pushing-out means collides with this. The situation can be avoided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of a sheet post-processing apparatus which is a sheet discharging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is an enlarged view of a main part in FIG.

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of a sheet post-processing apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an overall configuration diagram of a copier including the sheet post-processing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an arrangement position of each detection switch in the sheet post-processing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the structure on the staple plate shown in FIG. 1 as viewed obliquely from above from the rear except for a paddle.

FIG. 6 is a view in the direction of arrow P in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an advanced state of the lower discharge auxiliary plate shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing the tray shift unit shown in FIG. 1 in a broken section.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a shift operation of the discharge tray and the tray back plate shown in FIG.

10 is a schematic side view showing the structure of a tray upper limit detector provided in the sheet post-processing apparatus shown in FIG.

11 is a schematic front view showing a disposition state of a first contact portion and a second contact portion in the tray upper limit detector shown in FIG.

12 is a block diagram of a control device included in the sheet post-processing device shown in FIGS. 1 and 36. FIG.

13 is a flowchart showing an operation in the offset mode of the sheet post-processing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the discharge tray reaches the upper limit position after discharging a bookbinding sheet in the sheet post-processing apparatus shown in FIG.

15 is a flowchart showing the operation of the sheet post-processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in the staple single mode.

16 is a flowchart showing the operation contents of the bookbinding sheet discharge / discharge tray position adjustment processing shown in FIG.

17 is an explanatory diagram showing an upward bending operation of the bookbinding sheet during extrusion by the extrusion device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing a restricting operation of the upward bending of the bookbinding sheet when the bookbinding sheet is pushed out by the upper sheet guide portion of the widthwise shifting device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing a bending operation of the bookbinding sheet in the direction of the recess of the discharge tray at the time of extrusion by the extrusion device shown in FIG. 1.

20A and 20B are explanatory diagrams showing a restricting operation for curving the bookbinding sheet toward the concave portion of the ejection tray when the bookbinding sheet is pushed out by the lower ejection auxiliary plate shown in FIG.

21 is a flowchart showing a part of the operation in the staple multi mode in the sheet post-processing apparatus shown in FIG.

22 is a flowchart showing a part of the operation in the staple multi mode in the sheet post-processing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing a part of the operation in the staple multi mode in the sheet post-processing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing a part of the operation in the staple multi mode in the sheet post-processing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing a part of the operation of the sheet post-processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in the staple multi mode.

FIG. 26 is an overall configuration diagram of a sheet post-processing apparatus showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the structure on the staple plate shown in FIG. 26, as seen from diagonally above and rearward except for the paddle.

28 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an upper ejection auxiliary plate driving device that drives the upper ejection auxiliary plate shown in FIG. 26.

29 is a block diagram of a control device included in the sheet post-processing device shown in FIG. 26.

30 is a flowchart showing the operation contents of bookbinding sheet discharge / discharge tray position adjustment processing in the sheet post-processing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 31 is an explanatory diagram showing a restricting operation for upward bending of the bookbinding sheet when the bookbinding sheet is pushed out by the top ejection auxiliary plate of the top ejection auxiliary plate device shown in FIG. 26.

FIG. 32 is an overall configuration diagram of a sheet post-processing apparatus showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 33 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of the sheet guide device shown in FIG. 32 and a restricting operation for upward bending of the bookbinding sheet when the bookbinding sheet is pushed out by the sheet guide of the sheet guide device.

34 is a block diagram of a control device included in the sheet post-processing device shown in FIG. 32.

35 is a flowchart showing the operation contents of bookbinding sheet discharge / discharge tray position adjustment processing in the sheet post-processing apparatus shown in FIG. 32.

FIG. 36 is an overall configuration diagram of a sheet post-processing apparatus showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

37 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of the offset guide device shown in FIG. 36 and a restricting operation for upward bending of the bookbinding sheet when the bookbinding sheet is pushed out by the offset guide of the offset guide device.

38 is a flowchart showing the operation contents of bookbinding sheet discharge / discharge tray position adjustment processing in the sheet post-processing apparatus shown in FIG. 36.

FIG. 39 is an overall configuration diagram of a sheet post-processing apparatus showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 40 shows a schematic configuration of the upper ejection assisting guide device shown in FIG. 39 and a restricting operation of the upper ejection assisting guide with respect to the upward bending of the bookbinding sheet when the binding sheet is pushed out. FIG.

41 is a block diagram of a control device included in the sheet post-processing device shown in FIG. 39. FIG.

42 is a flowchart showing the operation contents of bookbinding sheet discharge / discharge tray position adjustment processing in the sheet post-processing apparatus shown in FIG. 39.

FIG. 43 is a flow chart showing still another embodiment of the present invention and showing the operation content of bookbinding sheet discharge / discharge tray position adjustment processing in the sheet post-processing apparatus.

44 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a state in which the offset guide has moved to the closed position when the bookbinding sheet is pushed out by the sheet post-processing apparatus that performs the operation shown in FIG. 43.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Copying Machine Main Body (Main Unit Device) 41 Sheet Post-Processing Device (Sheet Ejecting Device) 42b Main Path (Sheet Conveying Path) 43 Staple Plate (Sheet Cradle) 44 Ejection Tray 44a Recess (Lowest Surface) 50 Aligning Device (Alignment) 51) Positioning plate (sheet aligning member) 51a Upper sheet guide portion 52 Width aligning plate (sheet aligning member) 52a Upper sheet guide portion 60 Extruding device (sheet pushing means) 61 Extruding member (sheet pushing member) 68 Lower discharge auxiliary plate Device 69 Lower discharge auxiliary plate (lower discharge auxiliary member) 75 Discharge roller 77 Offset guide (sheet discharge guide member) 80 Offset guide device 95 Tray elevating unit (discharge tray elevating means) 102 Tray upper limit detector (tray upper limit detecting means) 106 Control device (control means) 109 push Feeding member driving device (pushing member driving means) 110 Lower ejection auxiliary plate driving device (lower ejection auxiliary member driving means) 113 Offset guide driving device (sheet ejection guide member driving means) 114 Ejection port (sheet ejection port) 121 Sheet post-processing Device (sheet discharging device) 122 Upper discharging auxiliary plate device 123 Upper discharging auxiliary plate (upper discharging auxiliary member) 128 Upper discharging auxiliary plate driving device (upper discharging auxiliary member driving means) 127 Control device (control means) 141 Sheet post-processing device (Sheet ejection device) 142 Sheet guide device 143 Sheet guide (sheet guide member) 147 Sheet guide drive device (sheet guide member drive means) 148 Control device (control means) 151 Sheet post-processing device (sheet ejection device) 152 Offset guide device 153 offset Sheet (sheet discharge guide member) 154 offset guide drive device (sheet discharge guide member drive means) 159 control device (control means) 161 sheet post-processing device (sheet discharge device) 162 upper discharge auxiliary guide device 163 upper discharge auxiliary guide (upper) Ejection auxiliary guide member) 164 Upper ejection auxiliary guide driving device (upper ejection auxiliary guide member driving means) 168 Offset guide (sheet ejection guide member) 169 Control device (control means) 171 Sheet post-processing device (sheet ejection device) 172 Control device (Control means) S sheet SW ₄ switch (detection means immediately before completion of extrusion)

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-1-313261 (JP, A) JP-A-63-267666 (JP, A)

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] 1. A sheet receiving base for receiving a sheet carried in from a main body device, and a discharge tray for receiving a sheet discharged from the sheet receiving base. The discharge tray is vertically moved by a discharge tray elevating means. In a driven sheet discharging device, a sheet pushing member that abuts on a sheet on a sheet receiving table and can move back and forth in the direction of pushing this sheet to a discharging tray and in the opposite direction, and a sheet pushing member that drives this sheet pushing member. When the driving means and the upper surface of the discharge tray or the uppermost sheet placed on the upper surface of the discharge tray reach a position near the virtual plane including the upper surface of the sheet receiving tray, Tray upper limit detecting means for detecting a state where the upper limit position is reached, and a push-out movement for the sheet by the sheet pushing member.
The extruded member is in the state just before the work is completed.
And extruded before completion state detecting means for detecting the completion state just before, when the upper limit position arrival status of the discharge tray is detected by the tray upper limit detection means, push-out operation for the sheet of the sheet pushing member is started, the extrusion completion
The previous state is detected by the previous state detection means.
A sheet discharging apparatus comprising: a sheet pushing-out member driving means and a control means for controlling the discharging tray elevating means so that the discharging tray descends when the sheet is discharged. 2. A sheet receiving tray for receiving a sheet carried in from a main body device, and a discharge tray for receiving a sheet discharged from the sheet receiving tray, and the lowermost surface of the discharge tray is discharged from the sheet receiving tray. In a sheet discharging device that discharges a sheet onto the discharge tray in a state below the sheet discharge port onto the tray, a sheet pushing-out unit that pushes out a sheet on the sheet receiving tray toward the discharge tray, and An advancing position that covers the step portion between the sheet ejection port and the ejection tray, and a lower ejection assisting member that can advance and retreat to an evacuation position that retracts from this advancing position; and a lower ejection assisting member driving means that drives this lower ejection assisting member. Before the sheet on the sheet receiving tray is pushed out onto the discharge tray by the above-mentioned sheet pushing means, the lower discharge auxiliary member is moved downward so that it moves to the advanced position. A sheet discharging device comprising: a control unit that controls a member driving unit. 3. A sheet discharge device having a sheet receiving tray for receiving a sheet carried in from a main body device and a discharge tray for receiving a sheet discharged from the sheet receiving tray, the sheet being orthogonal to the pushing direction by the sheet pushing means. Aligning means for aligning the sheet on the sheet receiving base to the reference position in the sheet width direction by the sheet aligning members on both sides in the width direction, and the sheet aligned by the aligning means in the discharge tray direction. Sheet extruding means for extruding the sheet into the sheet aligning means. The sheet is projected in the width direction of the sheet, and the upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing-out means is prevented. A sheet discharging device, wherein an upper sheet guide portion for regulating is formed. 4. A sheet discharging device having a sheet receiving tray for receiving a sheet carried in from a main body device and a discharge tray for receiving a sheet discharged from the sheet receiving tray. A sheet push-out means for pushing the sheet into an advancing position, and an upper discharge auxiliary member capable of advancing and retreating to an advancing position on the sheet pedestal that regulates the upward bending of the sheet due to the extruding operation of the sheet extruding means, and an evacuation position retreating from the advancing position. The upper discharge assisting member driving means for driving the upper discharge assisting member and the upper discharge assisting member moving to the advanced position regulate the upward curving of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing-out means. A sheet discharging device, comprising: a control unit that controls a discharging member driving unit. 5. A sheet conveying path for carrying in a sheet from the main body apparatus, a sheet receiving stand provided below the sheet conveying path for receiving a sheet sent from the sheet conveying path, and a sheet discharging stand for discharging the sheet. In a sheet discharging device having a discharge tray for receiving the formed sheet, between the sheet pushing-out means for pushing the sheet on the sheet receiving tray toward the discharge tray and the sheet outlet and the sheet receiving tray in the sheet conveying path. A conveyance guide position that is provided to guide the sheet sent out from the sheet conveyance path toward the sheet receiving tray, and an upper sheet guide position on the sheet receiving tray that regulates upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing means. A sheet guide member that can move freely, a sheet guide member driving unit that drives the sheet guide member, and a sheet guide member. A sheet guide member that moves to the open position, and a control unit that controls the sheet guide member driving unit so that upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing unit is restricted. Sheet ejection device. 6. A sheet discharging device having a sheet receiving tray for receiving a sheet carried in from a main body device and a discharge tray for receiving a sheet discharged from the sheet receiving tray, wherein a sheet on the sheet receiving tray is directed toward the discharge tray. The sheet push-out means for pushing the sheet to the sheet tray, the sheet discharge guide position that is provided above the sheet tray in the discharge tray direction and guides the sheet discharged to the discharge tray in the discharge tray direction, and the upper side according to the pushing operation of the sheet push-out means. A sheet discharge guide member that is movable to the sheet upper guide position on the sheet receiving table that regulates the curving of the sheet toward the sheet, a sheet discharge guide member driving unit that drives the sheet discharge guide member, and a sheet upper guide position. The sheet discharge guide member causes the sheet to move upward due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing means. And a control unit that controls the sheet ejection guide member driving unit so that the curving of the sheet is regulated. 7. A sheet receiving tray for receiving a sheet carried in from a main body device, a discharge tray for receiving a sheet discharged from the sheet receiving tray, and a discharge tray provided above the portion of the sheet receiving tray in the discharge tray direction. In a sheet discharge device having a sheet discharge guide member for guiding the sheet discharged to the discharge tray in the direction of the discharge tray, a sheet pushing-out means for pushing the sheet on the sheet receiving tray in the direction of the discharge tray, and the sheet discharge guide member provided above. An upper discharge auxiliary guide member movable to an upper sheet guide position for restricting upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing-out means, and a retracted position retracted from the upper sheet guide position, and the upper discharge auxiliary guide member Drive means for driving the upper discharge auxiliary guide member and the upper discharge auxiliary guide member for moving to the sheet upper guide position. A sheet discharging device including a control unit that controls the upper discharge auxiliary guide member driving unit so that the upward bending of the sheet due to the pushing operation of the sheet pushing unit is regulated by the id member. . 8. A sheet discharging device having a sheet receiving tray for receiving a sheet carried in from a main body device and a discharge tray for receiving a sheet discharged from the sheet receiving tray, in which a sheet on the sheet receiving tray is directed in a discharge tray direction. The sheet push-out means for pushing the sheet to the sheet receiving tray, and the sheet receiving tray provided above the portion in the sheet discharging tray direction. A sheet discharge guide member that moves upward to a sheet discharge guide position that guides the sheet discharged to the discharge tray toward the discharge tray and moves the sheet discharge guide member to the sheet discharge guide position described above. And eject the sheet in a state where it can be pushed out from between the sheet ejection guide member and the sheet pedestal. The sheet discharge guide member driving means for moving the id member to the closed position, and the sheet discharge guide member so that the sheet discharge guide member moves to the closed position when the sheet pushing operation is performed to push the sheet onto the discharge tray. And a control unit that controls the ejection guide member driving unit.